Reading's Aluko Hails Ejaria For Helping Him Score In Loss To Derby County

Published: January 20, 2019

Sone Aluko acknowledged that Liverpool loanee Ovie Ejaria assisted him to score what turned out to be a consolation goal as Reading were beaten 2-1 by Derby County in the Championship on Saturday.

On 66 minutes, the Nigeria international halved the deficit after Ejaria intercepted a stray pass and played the Nigeria international through.

Aluko was introduced at the start of the second half to add impetus to the attack and appeared at the centre of all of Reading's good work.

''We were pressing and Ovie Ejaria intercepted it, I made the run off the back of the defender and he played it through. The goalkeeper made up my mind for me by sprinting out and going to his right, and I put it off the post and in,'' said Aluko to the official website of the Royals.

"We dominated the ball in the second half, pressed high and tried to win it back quickly.

"The second half was how we need to play for 90 minutes. You can't allow teams two minutes off, we need to get better at that."

Aluko's strike against The Rams was his first of the season after 15 appearances in the Championship.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : readingfc.co.uk